Local doctors to travel to Bangladesh

Dr. Merindy Zoschke and her husband, Dr. Jason Morgenson, have wanted to be medical missionaries almost all their lives: Merindy since she was 13 (23 years) and Jason since he was 17 (20 years).

Bette McFarren

Dr. Merindy Zoschke and her husband, Dr. Jason Morgenson, have wanted to be medical missionaries almost all their lives: Merindy since she was 13 (23 years) and Jason since he was 17 (20 years). The couple met when they were interning in Salinas, Calif. They have been working at Valley Wide Clinic in La Junta for six years. Although their last day there is Jan. 31, they will be doing locums (short assignments) for various clinics for awhile longer.

The Morgensons have been a great asset to the community while they have been living in La Junta, particularly to the Picketwire Players. Merindy has a beautiful soprano voice and sings with the Madrigals in Rocky Ford as well as acting in Picketwire musicals. We first met her as the ingenue in "Sweeney Todd." Jason does professional grade tapings of plays in which Merindy appears.

They are members of the St. Andrews Episcopal/Holy Cross Lutheran congregation.Their first training for the upcoming mission to Bangladesh will be in Liverpool, England, in September, where they will be trained in tropical medicine. Bangladesh has a much higher incidence of such diseases as tuberculosis, malaria and poverty and malnutrition related illnesses than they have been trained to treat.

Bangladesh is a small nation adjoining India on the north, west and east. It was formerly East Pakistan, but acquired its independence in 1971. Benga, a language similar to Bengali, one of the primary languages of India, is the official language spoken there. The Morgensons' study of the language will occupy the first six months of their residency there, beginning next January 1.

Merindy hopes to adapt to the climate by starting in the winter, when temperatures range from the 70's in daytime to 50's at night, Fahrenheit scale. The summers are extremely hot and humid. There is a bright side. Apparently one has but to throw out a seed to start a plant, and the Morgensons are avid gardeners.

The average income is 70 takas a day, about one dollar U.S. equivalency. A chicken costs about $2.70 U.S. equivalent, so the prevalence of malnutrition is a given. Many people do not have a meal a day, said Merindy. There is poverty here, too, but most people have at least a couple of meals a day, a roof over their heads and clothing.

Asked what her parents thought of the mission, Merindy's mother said, "When you give your child to God, you accept what He has planned for them." Her father, Paul Zoschke, is a nondenominational minister. Her parents, Paul and Eunice Zoschke, live in Oklahoma. Although she comes from a strongly religious background, she is not allowed to proselytize while in Bangladesh, which is approximately 80 percent Muslim, 13 percent Hindu, various percentages of other religions, and only one percent Christian. To do so, said Merindy, "could get us kicked out of the country."

They are confident of the good will of their Muslim friends, pointing out that the Koran also teaches helping the less fortunate.

The Morgensons will stay in Bangladesh for three years, with a furlough at that time, and will probably return permanently to the mission. The medical mission where they are going is known as the Kailakuri Health Care Project. The founding doctor is Edric Baker, who is in his seventies now and needs support from younger doctors. Contributions to the mission are made through Asia Connection Inc. Bill Rose of Asia Connection is an old friend of Dr. Baker's who served with him in Viet Nam. The motto of Kailakuri Health Care Project is "Promoting health care for the poor by the poor."

The Kailakuri Health Care Project is very happy to have the Morgensons. Another doctor, from England, may be joining them soon. However, the need is so great and the staff so small that natives of Bangladesh are trained alongside the doctors to administer to their own people. Their working model is expanding to other areas in the country.

Asked about dentistry, Dr. Zoschke said that there presently is no dentist and that the nearest dentist is two hours' journey from the clinic. She thinks she and Jason may take a course in elementary dentistry so they can perform extractions or other emergency work competently.

They have a patron in New Zealand, Gareth Morgan, who has agreed to reimburse half of their training expenses. How did they get interested in this particular mission? Jason visited it first in 1999; then, in 2006, Merindy went back with him. They also visited quickly in 2011.

Asked where they will live, Zoschke said there are buildings constructed by the Rotary Club at the site, and they are hoping they will reside there. Hats off to the daring young couple who are going to a country whose national animal is the Royal Bengal Tiger. The local people are friendly and always offer to share their food with a visitor. They are also quite grateful for medical care and cherish their doctors.

For more information: www.kailakuri.com; merindyandjason@gmail.com

For donations:All donations are tax-deductible. Please send to: John Havican, c/o Asia Connection Inc. 14808 Afshari Circle, Florissant, MO. 63034-1502. Make checks to "Asia Connection, Inc." but include a separate note designating the donation for "Kailakuri Health Care Project." A note on the check is not enough.